You say VW needs new product, and I certainly agree that they need a new Tiguan but the Passat must be a disappointment for them with 9000 sales, down from 10K last year and the car is only 1.5 years old. Newer than Sonata and Optima, the same age as Camry and only a little older than Altima and Fusion. All of which are doing well. The Passat has not gone much above 10000 units month which must be below expectations since the Jetta managed 15K. They have sufficient product to have grown at least in line with the market instead of being down 0.5% YTD in a market growing about 10% so far. As BS has said before, not keeping up with the market means you are losing share.
From anecdotal evidence I know one colleague who was set on getting a Passat TDi, then saw how expensive that was (with auto) at $28K. So looked at the gasoline model, but was disappointed by the 32mpg highway rating. So instead she got an Altima, this was in March this year.

One other interesting fact for VW – they sold 3 Routans in the US (but 32 in Canada!) and they have at least 180 in stock (cars.com) so they have plenty of supply!

The problem with the Passat is that while it isn’t a bad car, there is absolutely nothing about it that makes customers say: I gotta have that.

I’m an unabashed VW fan, but I wouldn’t be caught dead in the new Jetta or Passat. The only two VW products that are mildly interesting right now are the GTI and the CC, one of which is being replaced in 12 months’ time with the substantially improved MK 7, and the other which is overpriced.

The Passat has some SERIOUS competition, and were I in the midsize sedan market and didn’t care about diesel, I would probably take the new Mazda 6, Accord, Fusion or Sonata over the new Passat. Volkswagen has the right idea with the Passat, but it has aged very quickly when put up next to the competition.

I agree, they never really cracked the 10K monthly mark and the market has flown by them. Even with winning some awards and getting a good press when it first came out. Maybe the proposed turbo engine and improved fuel economy will be able to help them relaunch it.
VW certainly needs a CRV/CX5 sized (and priced) competitor.

Ford has the most conspicuous remodels because it has no design language – aside the Mustang – w/ any cache.

The Fusion looks nothing like the old one because the old one was disposable. Ford is plastering that Aston face on anything it can – sorta like the Rolls Royce grill it put on its Lincolns and the Mercedes Granada of yore.

And now, even with the Aston Fusion it’s behind the curve with the bathtub look from the side. If you place style ahead of everything else in the midsize market the Mazda 6 owns it. Besides looks, CR found the Mazda’s fuel economy performance was outstanding, way way ahead the Fusion’s, which is just about worst in class performance.

The previous Fusion did look disposable, hence the handsome new looks. The dynamics of the Fusion were rated very well, but the modest mileage is going to hurt it. But there is always the hybrid version which returns good mileage, even if it is barely 40, not 47 MPG. Assuming the early assembly issues get addressed, Ford owes no one an apology for the car. I sat in them during the car show and was quite impressed.